Washington Week: Focus on Economic, Fiscal Matters

Later this week, President Barack Obama will unveil his vision for U.S. government spending and taxation. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports, the focus on the nation’s fiscal future comes amid renewed concerns about sluggish job creation that could foreshadow a weakening of America’s fragile economic recovery.

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Later this week, President Barack Obama will unveil his vision for U.S. government spending and taxation. The focus on the nation’s fiscal future comes amid renewed concerns about sluggish job creation that could foreshadow a weakening of America’s fragile economic recovery.

President Obama wants to shrink the deficit and promote economic growth.

“For years, an argument in Washington has raged between reducing our deficits at all costs, and making the investments we need to grow the economy. My budget puts that argument to rest. Because we do not have to choose between these goals - we can do both.”

Obama says his budget will curb spending and cut corporate tax breaks - while boosting funding for infrastructure and education.

Republicans have already rejected the proposal. House Speaker John Boehner says the president’s budget “never balances.” Former Republican Senator Sam Brownback, now governor of the state of Kansas, says the private sector holds the key to better economic and fiscal health.

“Our Republican message is a belief in the power of people rather than the control of government. This unleashes the creativity of entrepreneurs and the strength of hope and dreams.”

The budget battle comes one month after the start of automatic federal spending cuts, known as the sequester, that may have contributed to a weakening labor market. The U.S. economy created fewer than 100,000 jobs last month. White House economist Alan Krueger predicts a tough road ahead.

“We have heard from some companies that the sequester is affecting their hiring decisions. Obviously, government spending has been cut as a result of the sequester. So going forward that is going to be a weight on the economy.”

Republicans accuse the White House of overstating the sequester’s impact.

The U.S. deficit is projected at $900 billion this year, down slightly from previous years. In Congress, the Republican-controlled House and the Democrat-controlled Senate have passed competing budget bills, neither of which is likely to be adopted by the other chamber.

Absent bipartisan compromise, a so-called "grand bargain," the sequester will remain in effect and the deficit will stay at levels considered unsustainable by most economists.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

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Diagnosing infections such as HIV requires expensive clinical tests, making the procedure too costly for many poor patients or those living in remote areas. But a new technology called lab-on-a-chip may make the tests more accessible to many. VOA’s George Putic reports.

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Afghan officials have expressed concern over reports of a crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan following the Peshawar school attack in December. Reports of mass arrests and police harassment coupled with fear of an uncertain future are making life difficult for a population that fled its homeland to escape war. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Islamabad.

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Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. Patrick Wells reports from Mariupol.

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As low oil prices and Western sanctions force Russia's economy into recession, thousands of Moscow restaurants are expected to close their doors. Restaurant owners face rents tied to foreign currency, while rising food prices mean Russians are spending less when they dine out. One entrepreneur in Moscow has started a dinner kit delivery service for those who want to cook at home to save money but not skimp on quality. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports.

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The United States and Cuba say they have made progress in the second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations more than 50 years after breaking off ties. Delegations from both sides met in Washington on Friday to work on opening embassies in Havana and Washington and iron out key obstacles to historic change. VOA’s Mary Alice Salinas reports from the State Department.

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One after another, presumptive Republican presidential contenders auditioned for conservative support this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington. The rhetoric was tough as a large field of potential candidates tried to woo conservative support with red-meat attacks on President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress. VOA Political Columnist Jim Malone takes a look.

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New Yorkers take pride in setting world trends — in fashion, the arts and fine dining. The city’s famous biannual Restaurant Week plays a significant role in a booming tourism industry that sustains 359,000 jobs and generates $61 billion in yearly revenue. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

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Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline, fracking and instability in the Middle East are driving debate in the U.S. about making America energy independent. Recently, the American Energy Innovation Council urged Congress and the White House to make expanded energy research a priority. One beneficiary of increased energy spending would be the Brookhaven National Lab, where clean, renewable, efficient energy is the goal. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports.

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There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.

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With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.

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A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates.